Ensuring the accuracy of a rifle's sighting instrument, such as a scope or other open-sight device, can be a difficult and even potentially dangerous proposition. Historically, hunters and other shooters have sighted in their rifle by firing test rounds to a target at a known distance. Oftentimes, the shooter will position the rifle at a stationary point, which, as a nonlimiting example, may be across the hood of a vehicle or in the tailgate area. Because the vehicle body upon which the rifle is positioned is not designed for receipt of the rifle, the shooter has to find a firing position that provides stability for accurately sighting in the scope or other sighting device.
As a nonlimiting example, if a shooter elects to position the rifle across the hood of a vehicle, the shooter may choose to rest the rifle on a soft surface, such as a jacket or other article of clothing, positioned on top of the hood so as to provide a suitable firing position. Likewise, a shooter may position the rifle on a portion of the back area or sidewall of a truck bed so as to create the desired stationary position.
In each of these instances, a shooter generally cannot necessarily create the same shooting position with each fired round, so as to most accurately sight in the scope. This consequence introduces error and uncertainty into the sighting process.
Situations also exist wherein a rifle or other sighting device may be so grossly out of sight such that the barrel of the rifle is pointed into a direction other than the intended target area during the sighting process. In at least one nonlimiting example, if a rifle scope were so significantly misaligned such that the rifle barrel is pointed into a downward direction, the shooter could unknowingly fire the rifle into the truck hood, other portion of the vehicle, or any other undesired area, which may cause damage to property and/or, even worse, injury to person.
Further, there exist devices in the marketplace which may be used to stabilize or aim a firearm that can be mounted to the rear of a vehicle, often to a vehicle's hitch. However, such devices are often bulky and can consume much of the space in a truck's bed or storage area. Alternatively, it may be such that the device be transported while attached to a vehicle's hitch while fully or partially extended and/or assembled, which provides that the device occupy the vehicle's hitch, eliminating its use for the hauling of other items.
Thus, there is a heretofore unaddressed need to overcome at least the deficiencies and shortcomings described above.